


When metal met flesh

by DPR



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Babies, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes-centric, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2020-01-23 21:21:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18558103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DPR/pseuds/DPR
Summary: When Bucky met Lily, one of Wolverine's daughters, the former Winter Soldier finally got the chance to experience everything he had missed out on and thought he had lost. But will he be able to get over his past and enjoy the future? Or will he stand in his own way?Please R&R!





	1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This fic was born out of my ongoing X-Men/Avengers movie verse fic _Changes (posted on fanfiction.net as Dark Phoenix Rising[Changes](https://m.fanfiction.net/u/1059318/))_. Lily is an original character of mine and after pairing her with Bucky in _Changes_ , I had the idea of writing a fic with them as the main characters in it. More original characters from _Changes_ will make an appearance, but it is not necessary to know the story itself.

**I love reviews and getting to know your opinions. So please leave one.**

* * *

 

 

**When metal met flesh**

**Part 1**

 

The first time Bucky met Lily she had still been a kid. Literally. Thinking about it now, it kind of creeped him out. Back then, however, she had only caught his interest because Bucky had been shocked that Logan, the actual Wolverine, had a wife and kids in general… It was only topped by his shock when he had found out that he had once actually shot Logan's former pregnant Japanese wife when she had been heavily pregnant with Logan's first born son Daken... Then Apocalypse had happened, the world had been ruined after a long war against that mutant and they all had died. It only was thanks to Jean's powers and her use of a dying Wanda that he could even think about all of this right now.

Bucky hadn't really noticed Lily before years after. Noticed-noticed that is. He wasn't sure if it had been at one of the BBQ parties at the X-Mansion or any other meetup between the groups, but he remembered how a grown up Lily, at that point in her very early twenties, had stepped into the scene and he had literally received a blow to the gut. Her long, thick dark brown hair had been wavy that day, her hazel-green eyes bright and a smile had adorned her full pink lips. Bucky had been a goner right from the beginning if, yes, IF tall, dark and handsome hadn't been stuck to her arm all day at that point… Lily hadn't noticed Bucky anyway, which totally didn't have anything to do with him mingling in the shadows and keeping to himself…

He couldn't even tell how it happened exactly. Okay, he knew HOW but not why. He still asked himself why often enough. Why would someone so pure, beautiful, kind, gentle and smart like Lily pick him from all people? She could have any guy. Literally any guy. Bucky noticed every time they actually went out how heads turned and guys and even some girls checked her out. Lily was naturally beautiful with a body to die for thanks to her father's healing factor and their parents overall good looks. So why did she pick Bucky, an ex-assassin who had killed so many people in his life, had been brainwashed and was an overall fuck-up? It was simply beyond him why he from all people deserved this.

His thoughts got interrupted when said woman stirred and he looked down at her sleeping form. Bucky smiled and used his metal hand to brush Lily's long hair back. She scrunched her nose and moaned, her arms pulling him closer as she tried to hide her face in his shoulder. Bucky knew her well enough by now that he gave her a minute and she would yawn, then open her eyes. Her heightened senses, thanks to Logan, probably already picked up on him being awake and staring at her. Mentally, Bucky counted backwards and he had barely reached zero when Lily blinked her eyes open and looked back at him with sleepy eyes. "Hey you," he greeted her and smiled.  
Lily moaned and snuggled up to him, trying to hide her face from the light of the lamp and seeking his warmth. "Hey…," she mumbled and closed her eyes again after she had gotten comfortable in his arms, her face hidden in the crook of his neck and her arms hugging him back. "What time is it?"

"Time for me to head back." He ran his fingers through her hair while she held on to the shirt he wore. "Steve got a training session scheduled."

Lily sighed with a pout. "Okay…," she said and returned the kiss she was given before he got up and got dressed. She watched him tiredly and wistfully. They still kept their relationship hush-hush and wanted to enjoy the time they shared without their nosy friends. Partially, to get to know each other better, but also because Bucky still had a hard time talking to or being around people. They already bugged her about Mister X anyway and from what Bucky had told her his friends weren't much different. Still, she wished he could stay and they could start the day together for once. Bucky zipped up his leather jacket and leant down to kiss her again. "See you later?" Lily asked and he winked at her before he went over to her window.

"I'll text as soon as the coast's clear," Bucky promised, then began to climb down.

Downstairs, Bucky checked his surroundings and made sure that neither the X-Mansions cameras were on him or that any one of the X-Men was close by. He had parked his bike at a street corner, hidden by bushes and had walked through the woods that lay behind the mansion's grounds. Quickly and quietly, he made his way back to his bike, started the engine and drove back to the Avengers' tower. All the way his thoughts were occupied by Lily and he couldn't help but smile. He really hoped they could see each other again tonight. Bucky had never been in love. Infatuated, yes, but never really been in love. Thinking about it, he had also never had a real relationship. Of course he had taken out his fair share of dames back in the 1940's, but those dates had never been serious. He still felt sorry for that poor girl who had taken pity on him after he got drafted and was about to be shipped out to Europe and who had wasted her first time on him. He tried to remember her name but came up with nothing. Steve probably knew. Bucky remembered how he had taken her out on a double date with Steve and they had visited the Stark Expo. She had been all over him after they had gone dancing and it's been the first time he had actually taken a girl to bed. The only reason she had probably been willing to sleep with him, and the sole reason why he had agreed, was that he didn't want to die a virgin in war. Because he had fully expected to die somewhere in Europe.

Well, in the end, he kinda had…

Bucky parked his bike in the garage next to Steve's and punched in his access number on the panel next to the first security door. Immediately FRIDAY welcomed him back and the elevator opened for him. He stepped in and without further ado the A.I. took him to his level. The corridors seemed to be empty still. Good for him. That meant no nosy Avengers that would catch him sneaking back in. The door opened and Bucky stepped out, rounded the corner and…bumped right into Captain "I get up at ungodly hours" Rogers.

"Hey, Buck," Steve greeted and gave him a once over. "Where you already out or did you just come back?"

"Took a ride. I couldn't sleep," Bucky lied and his best friend nodded in understanding. "And no, I didn't forget about your session. I'll be there."

Steve suddenly sighed and placed a large hand on Bucky's shoulder. Bucky knew that concerned Dad-look that Steve had adopted since becoming Captain America. He was at the receiving end of it since Thanos and Wakanda. "Buck… I told you that you could wake me up anytime if…"

"I know, Stevie. I'm fine. Really," Bucky walked backwards and pointed behind him. "I'm gonna get changed. See you in the gym." He didn't wait for Steve to say anything else and jogged the rest of the way to his apartment where he quickly punched in the number and went to change into his gym clothes next.

As expected Steve has a sparring lesion planned and Bucky first ended up fighting against Nat, then Steve. He deliberately lost the first and made sure he won the second much to Steve's chagrin. Cap was still sulking as the met in the kitchen for a much needed breakfast. Bucky smirked at this and loaded his plate with loads of food. He was in the middle of eating it as he felt his phone vibrate in his pants. Reaching for it, he pulled it out and opened the message. It was a meme (not me-me, as Lily had quickly taught him – after a long laughing fit, mind you) and he snorted. This, of course, made everyone's head snap into his direction and Bucky quickly wiped the smile from his face to glower at them. "What?!"

"So….," Sam drawled while chewing his cereals, "when are we finally gonna meet her?"

"There's no one to meet," Bucky lied and put the phone away after typing a quick reply.

"Suuuuure," Sam said. "Tin-man's got a girlfriend," he added singing, which made Cap roll his eyes.

"Sam…"

"Bite it, birdbrain!" Bucky returned the favor with a glare, wolfed down the rest of his food and got up to dispose of the used plate and mug.

"Do you kiss her with that mouth?" Sam asked and Bucky flipped him off before he left the room.

From afar he heard Steve use his dad-voice again. Back in the safety of his room and slumped down on his bed and pulled out his phone again to read what Lily had written him. He smiled at her reply to his text before he narrowed his eyes at her complain about a client at work. He knew he hated her job as a lawyer and that there had been enough incidents in which clients had tried to get into her pants. He offered to come over, in the end, Jack's and her office was close by, but Lily replied that her twin brother had kicked out the asshole personally. Bucky was in the middle of typing a reply when the door beeped and Steve let himself in. "Ever heard about knocking?" Bucky grumbled and hid the phone under his pillow.

"Just wanted to make sure you're okay," Steve said and sat down on the edge of the bed, once more giving Bucky a concerned look.

Bucky sighed. "Steve… I'm saying this for the last time now. I'm fine!"

"Are you? You seem… I don't know. Different lately." Steve shrugged. "Not even lately. For weeks actually…"

Bucky sat up, frowning. "Different how?" he asked, hoping he hadn't given anything away. Lily and he hadn't even talked about being exclusive yet, he thought they were, at least he hoped so, but whatever her decision on this was he wanted to keep this between them, to have something on his own for once, something that he didn't have to share immediately. Hydra had always taken everything from him, so having this now wasn't something he wanted to share so soon.

Cap shrugged again. "I dunno… Happier? And at the same time you're hiding something," he said and tried to read Bucky's face, but the former ex-assassin kept his face neutral. He understood and he also thought he had figured out why his best friend was so secretive about it. "Okay… I'll make a guess and you don't have to reply." There was a pregnant pause and Bucky was sure Steve could hear his rapid heartbeat. He began to sweat. "It's Lily, isn't it?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Steve knew... But how? Bucky was a master at stealth and he had been so careful. But wait... Of course. Game night. Thor's Asgardian mead. The memories come back and Bucky gets nervous because of a pretty dame.

**A/N: This fic was born out of my ongoing X-Men/Avengers movie verse fic _Changes_. Lily is an original character of mine and after pairing her with Bucky in _Changes_ , I had the idea of writing a fic with them as the main characters in it. More original characters from _Changes_ will make an appearance, but it is not necessary to know the story itself.**

**  
I love reviews and getting to know your opinions. So please leave one.**

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**When metal met flesh  
Part 2**

“How come you know?” Bucky asked kind of shocked and wondered if Steve had caught them sometime and Lily and he hadn’t noticed. Steve though merely chuckled. “What?!”

“Really, Buck?” Steve asked and crossed his arms amused. “I literally watched the two of you falling into bed after game night… And we talked in the kitchen the day after,” he listed and added finger number three, “and…Lily came over the day after that and I’m pretty sure two additional mugs and plates were missing from the kitchen after you didn’t show up for breakfast.” He looked at Bucky expectantly who held his gaze with an as neutral look as he could muster. “C’mon… I’m not judging. I’d be happy for you, you know that. You deserve to be happy after everything.”

Bucky’s neutral mask fell and he sighed heavily. “Does anyone else know?” he asked defeated, but Cap shook his head.

“I don’t think so. Nat might suspect something. But I think no one else does. At least not when it comes to Lily. They just suspect there’s someone.”

Bucky nodded and crossed his arms. “Could you please keep it that way?”

“If that’s what you want.” Steve shrugged.

“Yes!”

“Okay. Lips are sealed.” Still, Steve smiled warmly at him. “I’m still happy for you, Buck.”

Bucky met his best friend’s eyes. Lily and he hadn’t talked about being exclusive, yet. At least it had never come up during all their dates. Could he call them dates? To him they were dates. Maybe she thought differently? Maybe he was just something to pass time? His thoughts weren’t something he felt like sharing with Steve yet, so he kept his mouth shut, tried to smile and said “Thanks.”

Steve being Steve reached out to pat his shoulder and got up to aim for the door next. “Will you be here later today?” he asked before he left.

Bucky shrugged. “Don’t know yet.”

“Well, if you are and you feel like it we plan to have a movie night.”

“Okay.”

Steve nodded with a smile and finally left; the door went shut behind him and Bucky let out the breath he was holding. He had to be more careful apparently. And of course Steve had paid close attention after that party. After sinking lower onto his bed, Bucky rested his head on his flesh arm and thought about that night. It had been Tony’s idea to have another game night. The whole group had been there and while Bucky had sat at the bar, debating whether or not to dare and drink Thor’s Asgardian meat, the gang had played different games behind him. Steve had given him several looks, hoped that Bucky would join but he didn’t. He still didn’t feel comfortable around the group, liked to keep to himself and he was fully aware that some agents were scared shitless of him. Hell, people who recognized him were most of the time scared shitless and avoided him like a plague… So yeah, Bucky had stuck to the bar, had been physically present and had deemed this enough to calm Rogers’ nerves. Then Lily had shown up to drop off a package for her younger brother Jamie, who sometimes worked with Tony in his lab and Bucky’s evening had turned upside down…

_Bucky stood at the bar that Tony had set up once parties and game nights had become more frequent at the mansion. While the other Avengers were playing a round of beer pong he watched from afar and nursed his drink. He usually kept to himself and stayed out of the fun stuff. Back then, before the war, he would have gladly joined and laughed his head off when Sam failed to hit the cup, but nowadays? No, he rather kept to himself. A smirk became visible on his lips though when Steve hit the last cup on Sam’s side. Right afterwards Cap came over to him, a grin on his lips. “Mission accomplished?”_

_“Oh yes,” Steve said and reached out to take a bottle of beer. He watched how Sam was now determined to win the game against Clint. “Oh, Sam…” He chuckled and shook his head. With a smirk on his lips he turned into Bucky’s direction, who had his back to the group and was looking at the glass in front of him. “Hey, why don’t you try your luck?”_

_“Nah…” Bucky shook his head._

_“C’mon, Buck,” Steve sighed. “You never join.”_

_“Well, I’m here, ain’t I?” Bucky shrugged and he turned around with a frown as Sam suddenly cat called someone. His eyes fell on Lily, dressed in a black skirt that ended above her knees, a white top that accented her slim curves and a black, fitted blazer on top. Her long, dark hair fell down in waves and she rolled her hazel-green eyes at Sam with a blush._

_“Hello, pretty lady!” Sam greeted her and, tipsy as he was, kissed the back of her hand. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”_

_“Jamie wanted me to drop this package off for him,” she handed Sam the package in her hand, which he immediately put aside and handed her a drink instead. “Uhm…”_

_“You’re welcome,” Sam grinned and pulled her over to the beer pong table._

_Steve sighed and looked aside, noticing how Bucky looked at Lily. He knew that look, had seen it countless of times before the war. Before, Bucky would have walked over and charmed his way into Lily’s heart, whereas now he wouldn’t talk to her before she made the first move and even then he would stumble over his words or say nothing at all. Steve hated what HYDRA turned his friend into, what they had taken from him. “She looks pretty today,” he commented and Bucky nodded while he bit his lower lip. “Why don’t you invite her over for a drink?”_

_Bucky snorted. “Sure…,” he mocked and turned back around to his glass. “She’s got Sam for that…”_

_Steve sighed and watched how Sam really tried too hard to get Lily to interact with him. In the end, the woman excused herself and walked over to where he and Bucky were standing. Cap used that chance and slipped away, leaving an oblivious Bucky alone at the bar._

_“Please save me…,” Lily muttered with a roll of her eyes and Bucky, who thought she was talking to Steve kept his eyes on his glass, his nervousness getting the better of him. When he didn’t hear his best friend reply, he dared to look up and noticed that he was alone with Lily. Confused, he scanned the room and found Steve back with the group, winking at him. That asshole… “Is Sam always like this when he’s drunk?”_

_When her eyes fell on him Bucky felt how his heart began to race and he immediately got tongue tied. Which language was he supposed to speak again? “Uhm…,” he made and shrugged. God, he wanted to strangle himself…_

_Lily felt the change in him and could easily hear his heartbeat. She knew how hard it was for him to socialize with people or even keep a conversation going, so she decided to help him out. “What’cha got?” she asked with a nod at his untouched glass._

_Bucky swallowed and nodded at the bottle in front of him. “Something Thor brought.”_

_“Is it good?”_

_“Dunno. I’m scared to drink it…” He looked up and saw how she gave him an amused smile. He smiled back. Logan really did a good job with this one, he thought. He couldn’t remember any women he had taken out dancing back then that had been as beautiful as her. God, he wished he was still as confident as he’d been before all of this. He’d love to take her out dancing… To his surprise Lily bent over the bar and grabbed a glass, then poured herself some of the amber liquid._

_“I’ll do it, if you’ll do it,” she offered and he couldn’t help but utter a chuckle._

_“Alright…,” he agreed, took his glass and they downed it together on the count of three. To his surprise this Asgardian mead tasted amazing. A look at Lily told him that she thought the same so they poured another glass and another and…_

_Natasha sat next to Cap and watched the former HYDRA assassin in amusement. She had no idea what Bucky and Lily were talking about, but it amused the hell out of them. And she had also lost count on how many glasses they had downed. “Shall we tell them that Asgardian mead is the strongest alcohol and knocks even Logan out?” she asked and Cap shook his head._

_“No.”_

_“You sure?”_

_“Yeah. He’s talking to her and having fun. No way I’m going to stop them from whatever else they are going to do!”_

_Sam suddenly flopped down between them, or at least he tried and landed on both of their laps. He rested his arms behind them and sulked. “God, she’s hot, isn’t she?” he said with a look at Lily, who was filling the glasses again. “Can’t you give tinman something to do? He stole her from me.”_

_Nat snorted. “If that’s what you want to call her literally running away from you…”_

_“What? She didn’t! He stole her from me with his stealth ability!” Sam insisted and made weird movements with his hands that were supposed to show what Bucky had done before._

_“Well to me it looks like she is just not into you,” Nat smiled and he feigned shock and hurt._

_“Ouch!” Sam said and got up to join a group of female SHIELD agents instead._

_Steve shook his head with a smile. “What?” Nat asked. “It’s the truth and you know it!”_

_“What’s the truth?” Clint asked and slopped down next to her, eyes now watching Bucky and Lily too. “Hm… Are they drunk?”_

_“Yep,” Steve nodded and grinned in amusement as Lily made Bucky laugh. A full body laugh. He hadn’t see one since before the war._

_“He can laugh?!” Clint asked shocked. “Pinch me, Cap!”_

_“Oh come on, guys!” Steve cried. “Stop acting like he wasn’t human!”_

_“I’ve never seen him laugh!” Clint defended himself. “Smirk, yes. Smile, yes. Laugh though? Nope!”_

_“Oh, I remember him chuckling when you slipped on Tony’s birthday cake and slammed face first into the fridge…,” Nat said matter-of-factly and winked at Clint, who had his eyes playfully narrowed at her._

_“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he quickly said and got up to join the poker game of Tony, Rhodey and Wanda. Poor Vision sat next to her and wasn’t allowed to join. That didn’t stop him from commenting on their cards though._

_At the bar Bucky snorted at something Lily said and chuckled while the world around them was happily spinning. And yes, he felt warm and happy. The last time he had talked to a pretty dame that relaxed and long had been pre-war. And damn, Lily was a real pretty dame… He looked at her with a smile and like a love struck idiot. “You’re so pretty…,” he said dreamily and Lily smiled into her glass before she shook her head. “Yes, you are!” Bucky insisted and leaned in to have an even closer look at her. “You are so damn pretty, doll…”_

_Lily shook her head again with a smile and raised her finger to prevent him from talking. “I think you are very pretty!” she said and cupped his cheeks with a dopey grin. “You are a very pretty fella.”_

_“Oh my God, Steve… Please do something or I’ll die from sugar rush,” Nat cried and looked at the chuckling man next to her. “I’m serious!” She slapped his arm in mock-anger before she heard a crash at the bar and looked at the two drunk people again. “What are they doing now?!”_

_Cap shrugged. “Going to the balcony as it seems?” he shrugged and watched how they stumbled towards the double door that led to the balcony after Lily had left her blazer on the stool, which had fallen to the ground afterwards._

_“Should they be going on the balcony in their condition, Steve?!” Nat asked with an eyebrow raised. “What do they even want there?”_

_Both of them turned around and watched how their drunk friends were busy rearranging their limbs. He shrugged. “I think they want to dance?”_

_“Dance?!” Nat asked incredulously._

_“Yeah, Bucky loved to go dancing back then.” Steve shrugged and the two of them occupied themselves with watching the impending disaster that was sure to come._

_On the outside Lily giggled and held on to Bucky’s right arm when she stumbled. “I can’t dance at all!”_

_He smirked. “That’s why I’ll show you, doll!” he said and stumbled into position himself, his left hand taking hers and positioning it on his waist. He then took her left hand into his right hand and put his metal one on her lower back._

_Lily looked at the position they were in and smirked. “That’s all?” she giggled and he snorted._

_“No, we’ve gotta move of course. Jus’ follow my lead.” Together they stumbled around, the world still happily spinning, both with dopey smiles on their faces and giggles under their breaths. After a while they seemed to find a rhythm though and simply swayed from left to right slowly. Lily sighed as the dizziness became even heavier and she leant her cheek against Bucky’s shoulder and closed her eyes. She hummed as she inhaled his scent and rubbed her cheek against the fabric of his red henley. “You smell good,” she muttered and leant instinctively further in, pulling him closer with her hands that were now hugging his back._

_Bucky nuzzled her hair and his breath hitched as she suddenly looked up with hooded eyes. His icy blue ones switched from her hazel orbs to her parted lips and back. He licked his lips and stared back at her, suddenly aware how close they were, how good she felt against him and how nice she smelt. Lily’s eyes went from his eyes to his lips and back. She smiled and reached up to cup cheek. “You’re really pretty…,” she said and Bucky snorted with a shake of his head. She heaved a deep breath as the world began to spin even harder. “I think I really need to lie down…”_

_“Yeah. Me too,” he replied and squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment as the world began to spin even harder. Together they made their way back inside, walked past the bar where Lily absentmindedly grabbed her blazer and she kept clinging to his arm for dear life. Somehow they managed to reach the elevator and after 5 attempts Bucky found the right floor and door. “Shit…,” he cursed as he stared down the code panel that was next to every Avenger’s door._

_“What?!” Lily slurred and found the strength to open one eye instead of simply letting Bucky drag her around._

_“I forgot my code…”_

_“Damn…”_

_“Yeah…”_

_They remained standing in front of it for a couple of minutes, glaring at the panel as if that would help and the door would miraculously open by itself. Neither startled as a hand suddenly appeared from their left and questioned as a finger on said hand typed in the code, causing the door to open._

_“Now I get why my dad always glares at things. ‘s really helpful,” Lily commented as they stumbled into the room and literally fell on the bed together._

_Nat looked at Steve, both of them watching how the door closed by itself again. “You sure we can leave them alone?”_

_Steve shrugged. “If they can do anything but sleep right now they deserve it,” he said and reached for his phone while they walked to their own rooms. “I just let Logan know that she’s staying here.”_

_“Oh, he’s so going to kill Barnes,” Nat smirked and Steve playfully rolled his eyes. “You know he will! Don’t deny it!”_

_Inside of Bucky’s room Lily opened her eyes groggily and suddenly felt very hot, mostly because the man next to her was running on abnormal temperatures and felt like a furnace. Unconsciously, she dropped her shoes, skirt and bra somewhere next to the bed, only keeping the white top and her panties on before she somehow managed to find her way underneath the duvet. Next to her Bucky got rid of his shoes, socks and pants, his jacket somewhere forgotten and went under the sheets in his black briefs and tight white shirt that he had worn underneath his red henley, which had also joined his clothes on the ground. His head had barely hit his pillow as his brain shut down. The last thing he consciously noticed was how a body snuggled up to him and he was out…_

Bucky smiled at the memories and looked aside to the now empty spot next to him. No matter what would become of them the next morning would be forever burned in his memories…

_She felt warm and comfy when she slowly regained consciousness. Lily smiled first until she realized that she missed the gentle waves of her waterbed first and that she was cuddled up to a warm body, whose arm was wrapped around her waist, next. Or better said: that she was completely entangled with a body, her legs between his, her arms wrapped around what seemed to be a pretty muscular body, her head was tucked under his and resting in the crook of his neck, and damn, did he smell good… And an impressive morning wood was poking her leg… She remained as still as she could and tried to recall the last day. How had she ended up in bed? Whose bed was it? Okay, so Jamie had asked her at breakfast if she could drop a package off for him at the Avengers tower since it was close to Jack’s and her office. She had entered the tower, taken the elevator up after explaining to Friday why she was there and the A.I. had told her that is was game night. Upstairs she had left the elevator, had seen the team and Sam had instantly crowded her… She froze. Sam had handed her a drink… Sam was also muscular… “Oh my God, please don’t let it be Sam…,” Lily prayed in her mind and tried to come up with a way to untangle herself from him and slip away unnoticed. If she already had a complete blackout, then Sam would surely have one too. It was just her luck though that the body next to her suddenly noticeably froze too and damn, she thought, now Sam was awake and it would be awkward as hell… Heaving a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked up, instantly seeing long brown hair and she let out a sigh in relief. “Thank God, you’re not Sam…” Lily became aware of how fast Bucky’s heart was beating and looked up just to meet panicked blue eyes._

_Confused, Bucky looked at her, then up at the ceiling and behind her. Okay, so he was in his room and his bed, but… “What happened?”_

_Lily shrugged. “I don’t know… The last thing I remember is Sam crowding me.”_

_Bucky heaved a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. He assessed the situation. He was in bed with her, literally wrapped around her, couldn’t remember anything from the night before, which alone made him freak out by itself since it brought back bad memories and he didn’t know what to do and wanted to just run away and hide. And… “God, I’m so sorry…,” he muttered and tried to shift his hip away from her in embarrassment, but their legs were so entangled that he made the situation even worse and his dick totally brushed her core and he just wanted to die... He was such an idiot… Closing his eyes, he waited for Lily to get up and leave and never look at or speak to him again. Why did it have to be her and not some random SHIELD chick? Why someone he had a serious interest in?_

_“It’s okay,” Lily assured him again with a smile, easily picking up on how nervous he was._

_“You must think I’m a complete idiot…,” he muttered and refused to look at her. And an idiot he was…This situation was way too awkward for someone like him, who already had a hard time only remotely functioning around people. What would his 1940’s-self have done in this situation?_

_“No, I don’t,” she said and rubbed her face, dreading what she would ask next. “Did we…?”_

_“I don’t know…,” Bucky sighed and really wanted to shoot himself. It was so him to not remember shit after finally scoring again. “Do you think we…?”_

_She thought about it. Did she? She couldn’t tell. Something that spoke against it was that she was still in her top and panties. And, at least from what she could tell, he was still in briefs too. If they had, she definitely regretted not remembering it. He was so her type and she was sure he wasn’t that reserved and shy in bed. “I hope not,” Lily blurted out and felt him tense up. “Because I’d want to remember it.”_

_That threw Bucky off. Did it mean what he thought? “You would?” he asked, biting his lower lip and met her gaze insecurely._

_Lily nodded and was mesmerized by his lips again. She faintly recalled almost kissing him before. Or had she? It didn’t matter. She had always thought of him as handsome and attractive and as awkward as this situation was, she knew deep down what she wanted to do. Reaching up, she cupped his cheek and looked at his kind blue eyes again before she leant in and kissed him on the lips. Bucky froze first, his heartrate accelerating once more, but willed himself to react and kiss her back. He tilted his head and moaned into the kiss when their tongues touched, his hands grasping at Lily’s long hair when her hands ran down the fabric of his shirt. He had missed this. Missed touching someone and being touched, missed kissing someone and being close to another person. By now he was so touch starved that his body literally kicked into overstimulation and he had to break off the kiss._

_“I’m sorry,” Lily immediately said and backed off but he shook his head and pulled her back on top of him._

_“No, it’s just… I haven’t since… I…” Bucky blushed and felt like a virgin on his first date. This could only turn out to be a disaster and complete embarrassment for him. He knew with as long as it had been that he wouldn’t last long and…._

_“Okay.” She smiled and let her hands caressed his chest, throwing him off-guard. “Let’s take it slow?”_

_Bucky nodded with a smile. “Please…,” he muttered and leant in to kiss her again…_

_Much later, after Lily was long gone and he had taken a shower, Bucky sat in the kitchen of the Avengers tower, looking at his oatmeal thoughtfully; the coffee next to it already cold and forgotten. He didn’t even hear Steve walking by the door, stopping and backtracking to get a look at his best friend._

_“Hey Buck. Finally found your way back to the living?” Steve greeted and went over to the fridge for a bottle of water._

_Startled, Bucky looked up. He hadn’t realized he had company. “Yeah…”_

_Steve nodded and leant against the counter, his eyes on Bucky. He knew something was up. “You feeling okay? No headache?” he asked and received a silent nod. Okay, so he had to change tactics to get him to speak. “Where’s your company?”_

_Bucky sighed and took the spoon in his hand to stir the oatmeal. “Home.”_

_Right… Steve tilted his head. “So?” he asked curiously and finally Bucky looked at him._

_“Just tell me already I was shitfaced and made an idiot of myself!”_

_“I can’t.” Steve shrugged and Bucky gave him his best annoyed look._

_“You were there!”_

_“Yeah.” Steve nodded and crossed his arms. “But I can’t tell you that you made an idiot out of yourself. Because you didn’t.”_

_Bucky groaned and dropped the spoon to hide his face in his hands. “It’s worse, isn’t it? Just tell me what I did…”_

_“Well, you drank Thor’s Asgardian mead…”_

_“Which I’ll never do again!”_

_“You talked and laughed with Lily...,” Steve went on, waited for a reply and continued after there was none. “Then the two of you decided to go dancing on the balcony.”_

_“Oh my God…,” Bucky cried and hid his face further in his hands. “Did I drop her?”_

_“No, you actually managed to dance alright.”_

_“I hear a but coming…”_

_“But…,” Steve dragged out, “you then stumbled to your room and probably forgot your code. Nat and I found the two of you glaring at the panel next to your door. I opened it for you and you literally fell on the bed.”_

_Bucky shook his head. “Shoot me please…”_

_“Well, at least you didn’t sleep with each other because I think that would be really awkward,” Steve commented with a chuckled and noticed how Bucky blushed and tensed up. “I mean, in case you wondered… You didn’t. I went to check on you twice in case you needed a bucket and you guys were just cuddling.” He put a hand to Bucky’s shoulder with a squeeze, but his friend ducked his head even further and refused to look at him. “Really, Buck, you didn’t…,” he began and broke off as he figured it out. “Oh… So you did…” Bucky nodded slowly. “After…waking up?” Bucky nodded again. “And now…what?” Steve asked and Bucky literally pushed a sheet of paper in his face. He read it and didn’t see the problem his best friend obviously had. “She wants to see you again and gave you her number,” he stated the obvious and frowned. Then it clicked. “Buck… You WILL call her and you WILL meet her again!”_

_“C’mon, Steve, I can’t!” Bucky cried and looked at his friend’s face with the most devastated look he could muster. “I…I can’t!”_

_“Why?”_

_“Because…” Bucky sighed and shook his head. “Because I’m not good enough for her…”_

_“Oh, come on, Buck!”_

_“It’s the truth!” Bucky insisted. “Lily she is… She is so beautiful and kind and deserves the world. I’m an ex-assassin who had to be pardoned by the UN and the President in order to be allowed back home. I can’t speak to people, I freak out when I have to walk down a street, I can’t set a foot into a mall without getting anxious and Logan would kill me on the spot, if he found out I had a thing with his daughter! I just… I can’t… I’m not ready for this…”_

_Steve looked at him hard and handed the paper back over but not before snatching Bucky’s phone and saving the number in it. “Buck… Despite the fact that you were shitfaced yesterday…No, you will listen to me now!” he insisted. “You were happy yesterday! You talked to her, you made her laugh, you actually laughed yourself, Buck! The last time I have seen you like that was with that girl you dragged to Howard’s expo before you had to leave for Europe. I see how you look at Lily. She didn’t come to me or Tony when Sam annoyed her yesterday, she came to you! You need to stop with your self-loathing and doubts and actually go out again. It’s not doing you any good! And don’t think I don’t see the looks you give her. You like her!” He handed Bucky back his phone with a stern look. “Call her or I call her for you!” With that he left Bucky to stare at his phone lost in thoughts. He took it into his hand, opening it and went through his contacts until he found Lily’s number. He wanted to call or text her. God, he wanted it bad but the voice in his head was mocking him again. Why would a woman like her be even remotely interested in a wreck like him? What could he even offer her? He had nothing. Hell, he had probably been as inexperienced as he had felt this morning and she had already texted her friends to tell them how awful he had been… Sighing, he dropped the phone again and lowered his head. It would be better to cherish the moment they had shared. It was pointless to get his hopes up._

_Unbeknownst of Bucky, Steve had watched his friend and was only able to shake his head in sheer frustration. Determined, he went to the garage and got on his bike. The drive took him to a huge glass building close by. He parked the bike at the front and went inside to the elevator, which took him up to the 25 th floor and to bright, inviting rooms. Steve smiled at the blonde receptionist, who knew him. “Hi, Nina. Is Lily here by any chance?” he asked._

_“She’s in her office, Steve. Just down the hall,” Nina smiled at him and he gave her a polite nod in return before he moved to said office. He knocked and waited for her to call him in._

_“Steve…,” Lily said surprised and watched how he closed the door behind him with a serious look. She wondered what had happened that he bothered to visit her._

_“Hi, uhm… You got a minute?” he asked, suddenly questioning his plan._

_“Sure. Take a seat.” She pointed at the two chairs in front of her desk. “What can I do for you?”_

_He sighed and tried to find the right words. “It’s about Bucky,” he began and her eyes widened for a brief moment in surprise._

_“Oh…”_

_“I just… I…” Steve sighed. “He won’t call you.”_

_Taken aback Lily lowered her gaze, disappointment evident on her face. “I see…”_

_“No, no! I’m sorry but that came out wrong,” he quickly said and her eyes met his again. “He won’t call by himself is what I meant. He… He thinks he’s not good enough for you and that…that he’s too screwed up for anyone to want him. Back then… Back then he would have jumped at the chance to take you on a date, but…” He gave her a sad smile accompanied by a shake of his head. “Nowadays I’m happy if he even talks to the team, you know?”_

_Lily nodded in understanding. “He’s been back for years though. Has there never been anyone?”_

_Steve shrugged. “I tried to set him up on dates, to help him as he had tried to help me back then. But those women either recognized the Winter Soldier or were interested in him for the wrong reasons. He always came back from dates and locked himself into his room. So no, there has been no one since we got him back.”_

_Lily huffed and shook her head while she crossed her arms. “I don’t get it. He’s kind, he’s gentle, he’s polite… He’s handsome. Were those women blind?”_

_Steve smirked at that. “You don’t have to tell me. Bucky was a lady killer back in the days.” He quickly raised his hand. “Not a player. Don’t get me wrong. Girls just loved him. I wish you had met him before… I hate how much HYDRA took from him.”_

_Lily nodded and watched Steve, who was lost in thoughts, for a while. “So what do you suggest?”_

_He looked at her. “Are you really interested in him?” he asked and she nodded. “Okay, then do this…”_

_Back at the tower Bucky was lifting weights as his phone beeped. Frowning, he put the weights back down and reached for his phone. The message made him furrow his brows even more._

Did you already watch Game of Thrones? – Lily

_Bucky stared at the text for moment. No, he hadn’t. He had always wanted to but watching shows by himself was boring. His fingers began to type a message, then delete it, type again, just to delete the text once more. “God damn it, get a fucking grip, Barnes!” he cursed and simply settled for a simple_ No. _Genius…. He rolled his eyes at himself. “Idiot…” His phone beeped again._  
  
Okay. I’ll be over at 7. :)

_Bucky dropped his phone. “Wait… What?!” he muttered and took his phone in his hands to read the message again. No, he had read correctly. She had really written…that. His heart hammered in his chest. What was he supposed to do?_

_“Hey Buck, you okay?” Steve asked when he entered the gym, hiding his smirk because he knew too damn well why his friend looked suddenly pale as a ghost._

_“Uhm… Yeah. Fine. Gotta go.” Bucky pointed at the door, stumbled, caught himself and was gone._

_Steve chuckled and reached for his phone. He quickly typed a message._ Go easy on him. He almost ran into the wall. _He waited for Lily’s reply before he began his own workout. He only hoped that Bucky’s anxiety wouldn’t screw things up._

* * *

 

_He checked his room for the hundredth time, checked if it was tidy enough, if there was anything else that needed to be put in order, if there was anything that might bother her… Then again his room was never untidy. He had always been very orderly, often tidying up after Steve when they had shared an apartment back then. Nervously, he ran a hand through his chin length hair. Maybe she wanted to watch in the TV-room? Damn, he should have checked if the room looked alright. Why had he assumed that she wanted to watch in his room? As he was about to head for the door there was a knock and Bucky froze. His heart began to race and his anxiety was kicking in. This was a terrible idea. Why hadn’t he told her no? When there was another knock he heaved a deep breath and went to open the door. His breath hitched as he saw her standing in front of his door, eyes bright and a broad smile on her lips. Her body was clad in simple light blue jeans and a tight fitting light grey hoodie. To his surprise she went straight for a hug and kiss to his cheek._

_“Hi, I brought pizza!” Lily said cheerfully and dropped it on the glass coffee table that stood in front of the dark grey spacious couch. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I had them mix it.”_

_Bucky raised the lid of the box and smirked. He was sure Steve had told her exactly what he liked because the pizza had literally everything on it that he preferred. That little shit... “It’s perfect. Thank you.” He took her beige coat and put it on the small coat rack next to the door before he went to get two glasses, plates and some soda. When he returned she was sitting on the couch comfortably in thick woolen socks and smiled at him. Bucky couldn’t help but smile back as he closed the door. His anxiety was silent for now but he was nervous about screwing up. As he sat down next to her he thought about how right she looked here in his room, how right it felt to be close to her… “Please don’t let me screw this up,” he thought as Lily handed him the remote and they began to watch episode one while digging into the pizza._

_Time flew by and Bucky cursed as episode 10 ended which made Lily laugh out loud. “That’s not funny! How did she survive the fire?!” he asked and looked down at where she was cuddled up to him. He hadn’t even really noticed how she had ended up between his legs with his arms around her._

_“Well, I won’t tell you. You’ve got to watch the rest!” Lily smiled and he threw his head back against the backrest in exasperation. She giggled at his playful annoyance. “That was only season 1! It will get much, much worse!”_

_“Great. Give me hope, doll!” Bucky mocked playfully and pouted._

_She snorted and her eyes caught the black clock on his wall. “HOW late is it?!”_

_“Better ask how early,” he sighed and stretched with a yawn. It was past 5 a.m. and after realizing it the tiredness caught up with him. In the end, he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before either._

_Lily bit her lower lip thoughtfully. “How about a couple of hours of sleep and then season 2? I’m free all weekend.” she asked and he looked at her in surprise. “What?”_

_“You… You want to stay?”_

_“Except you want me to go?” she asked suddenly feeling insecure._

_“No, no, I just…,” Bucky began and cut himself off before he said something stupid. “I…I’d love for you to stay…”_

_Lily smiled. “I need clothes and a toothbrush though…,” she said sheepishly which made him chuckle. She watched how he got up and began to rummage in his drawer, closing it again after he was satisfied with what he had found. He then migrated to the bathroom and returned shortly afterwards, holding a grey shirt, black pajama pants, a new toothbrush and a towel into her direction._

_“There are more towels in the cupboard. Just take what you need,” he said and began to tidy up while Lily went to get ready for bed. He went to the bathroom after she was finished and looked at himself in the mirror, surprised to see a small smile on his lips. Usually, he was sporting what Nat called his “restless murder face”, so this was actually a nice change. Normally, he avoided looking at himself in the mirror because every time he had tried the Winter Soldier had stared back. He pulled a fresh shirt on and left the bathroom, switching off the lights as he closed the door next. Lily had already gotten comfortable in his bed and was smiling tiredly at him. He smiled back as he went under the sheets next to her, rolling onto his side to look at her drowsily. Again, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she looked right here next to him and he wondered what she thought about him in return. It was hard for him to trust people, to believe that they actually liked and weren’t afraid of him. He remembered too well how he had believed one of Tony’s employees had liked him, had almost been ready to ask her out on a date just to find out that she had only been nice to him because she was terrified of the Winter Soldier. A hand suddenly touched his cheek and Bucky looked up._

_“What are you thinking about?” Lily asked and kept her hands on his cheek._

_He reached up to take it into his flesh one. “Just things…,” he replied and pressed a kiss to her hand._

_“Okay,” she whispered and waited for him to reach over to switch off the lights before she cuddled up to him. Humming satisfied, Lily tilted her head to kiss him softly. “Night.”_

_Smiling happily, Bucky pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair._ _“Night, doll.”_

Bucky smiled at the memory. He remembered how from then on they had alternated between watching at his place or he had sneaked into the mansion and they had snuggled up in her bed and continued watching the show until there were no episodes left. Afterwards they had simply picked the next series to binge, both unwilling to stop their meet ups. They had made him happy and he had looked much happier than before. Of course that change hadn’t gone unnoticed and soon their friends had started pestering them about who their secret lovers were. Up to now they had been good at hiding it, but now that Steve knew Bucky wondered who else might…

Sighing, he reached for his phone and opened the chat. He typed a quick message and was about to put the phone away as he noticed that Lily was already typing back.

_I can also come over after work. I just need to get up early._

Bucky smiled and replied: _I know, doll. But I can also drop you off on my way back._

_Admit it. You just love my waterbed…_

Oh, yes, he did. That reminded him he wanted to ask Tony if he could get one too _. Busted…_ , Bucky sent and got up to take a shower and dress in fresh clothes. “FRIDAY?” he asked after he had packed his small overnight bag.

“Yes, Sergeant Barnes?”

“If anyone comes to my door tell them I want to be left alone?” he requested and the A.I. confirmed. “Oh, and I told you to call me Bucky.” He didn’t wait for a reply and made sure the corridor was empty before he headed to the stairs and made his way to the garage where… Of course Steve was at his bike. The knowing smirk Cap gave him spoke volumes. “Don’t, punk!”

“I wasn’t saying anything, jerk,” Steve said, the smirk still visible on his face. “Have fun. I assume you won’t be back tonight?”

Bucky secured his bag on his back and took the black helmet. “You assumed right. I will be in my room and I want to be left alone,” he informed his best friend and Steve nodded.

“Got it. Tell Lily I said hi,” Steve said and watched how Bucky left the garage on his bike. He was happy for him. Cap truly was. He just hoped it was a long term thing and that Bucky finally got the peace and quiet he craved. Steve sighed and leant back against his bike as his mind involuntarily drifted back to after the battle against Thanos. Should he have stayed after seeing her again? Only Bucky knew about his detour when Steve had volunteered to take back the stones and what had happened on his little extra tour. He knew he wasn’t the same since that night and it was getting harder to hide. Bucky, bless his soul, had already noticed but figured Steve didn’t want to talk about his little detour to 1945, so he didn’t ask. And Steve figured that if one of them had the chance to find happiness, it should be Bucky to make that leap of faith. After all the shit lives had thrown at his best friend, Bucky deserved happiness and Steve would make sure he would find it…

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please leave a review!**

 

 

 


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cat is out of the bag and Bucky unsure of things. Cap comes to the rescue and T'Challa needs his favorite Avenger in Wakanda.

**A/N: This fic was born out of my ongoing X-Men/Avengers movie verse fic _Changes_. Lily is an original character of mine and after pairing her with Bucky in _Changes_ , I had the idea of writing a fic with them as the main characters in it. More original characters from _Changes_ will make an appearance, but it is not necessary to know the story itself.  
I love reviews and getting to know your opinions. So please leave one. ** **J**

* * *

 

**When metal met flesh**

**  
Part 3**

Lily exited the elevator and made her way to Tony’s lab behind which she knew was her younger brother Jamie working on whatever Tony and he were working on this time. Since Tony had discovered the genius level intellect of Jamie when her brother had just been two years old, Tony had been one of his biggest sponsors next to Logan and Jean. Lily knew that Tony’s favorite hobby was to rub into Banner’s face how Jamie had not only a higher IQ, but also more diplomas on studied subjects than Bruce, finished college early and was not only the most powerful mutant, thanks to the combined genes of Phoenix and Wolverine, but also the smartest human on earth. Humble as Jamie was, he always ducked his head and blushed. Lily loved her brother dearly and she still wondered how Jake could be his twin. Both of them were like apple and pears characterwise, no matter how close the two brothers were. And they were very close.  
When the door in front of her opened she immediately spotted Jamie working on a computer and smiled. “Hey.”  
  
Jamie looked up from his workstation at the Avengers HQ. He smiled when he spotted his sister, his green eyes twinkling. “Did you find it?”  
  
Lily snorted. “With the help of Tommy, yes,” she replied and handed him an USB stick and something wrapped in brown paper that confused him. “Just open it. It won’t bite. I hope…”  
  
Carefully, Jamie unwrapped the paper and smiled. Inside was his favorite sandwich and a note that read _Love you –T_.  
  
Lily smiled at her brother’s lovestruck face. ”You’re lucky that it’s me and not Jake or Jack who brought you this!” she said while looking around the room, her eyes stopping at the screen Jamie had been sitting in front of. “What are you working on?”  
  
“An A.I.”  
  
Her eyes widened. “Isn’t that…dangerous?”  
  
He shook his head. “Not like this. I’m helping Tony with his F.R.I.D.A.Y. A.I. I’m currently updating the security protocols. So…pretty boring stuff actually.” Jamie shrugged and bit into the sandwich, his free hand running through his thick dark hair. “Damn, this is good…,” he groaned and Lily giggled.  
  
“I’ll let your husband know.” She checked her watch. “When will you be off?”  
  
“Two or three more hours perhaps. You don’t have to wait up,” he said and went back to his work station. “That is…if you didn’t come here for someone else.” He smirked when she blushed. “When are you going to make it official anyway? Literally everyone knows now. At least our side of the group...”  
  
Lily sighed and hugged herself. “Never? I don’t know…” she said and remembered that fateful morning when Bucky had been staying over and even stayed the night and…

_Opening her eyes, Lily blinked against the sunlight but smiled when she looked right into stormy blue eyes that were watching her intently. The lazy smile on Bucky’s lips told her that he had been watching her for a while. “You creep!” she teased him and threw her pillow into his face, which he deflected laughing._

_“You’re cute when you do this little snore,” he said and chuckled when she was on him again._

_“I don’t snore!” Lily insisted while straddling him and pinning his hands above his head._

_Bucky smirked. “You do. But it’s cute.” He kept on smirking in that boyish way of his until she leant down to kiss him._

_She sighed and sank down until she could rest her head on his chest. “I don’t want to get up…”_

_“Me neither, doll. I just love your waterbed…,” he sighed and stretched out one arm while he was holding her close with the other._

_“So that’s the reason why we are mostly sleeping at my place.”_

_“Busted…”_

_“Hm…,” she made and kissed him again before she got up and stretched. She heard how he sat up slowly and turned to look at him. “Will you head out immediately or do you want me to steal some breakfast for you again?” Lily asked and zipped up her grey hoody._

_“I can stay a bit longer,” Bucky said and gave the mattress a push, smirking as it wobbled._

_She groaned playfully. “Of course… I leave you to my waterbed then.”_

_“Yes, ma’am,” she heard him saying and he was already hugging his pillow again as she opened the door. Smiling, she left her bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen where almost everyone was gathered for breakfast already. “Morning,” Lily said into the round and sat down on her usual stool. Immediately she grabbed something to eat and poured herself a coffee. A frown became visible on her face, though, as she noticed how her father was slowly chewing his breakfast while cocking an eyebrow at her. “Is something wrong?” she asked and tried to hide her nervousness. Bucky had, as usual, silently sneaked it. No one had seen him and all they had done was cuddle and watch some Netflix. There was no way her father could have heard him, except… The scent. She had completely forgotten about the scent! Logan could easily smell Bucky on her… Slowly she stopped chewing and swallowed hard._

_“Logan!” Jean hissed as the feral suddenly took his phone and quickly typed a message._

_“What?!” Logan shrugged innocently and put the phone back into his pocket. “I only asked Barnes if he’s joinin’ us for breakfast this time or sneakin’ out again later.”_

_Lily felt heat rising to her cheeks and her eyes darted to her mom, then to her brothers, her sisters… Her eyes grew wide as she saw the same look even in her friends’ eyes. “For how long…”_

_“Like literally months?” Isabella, the daughter of Rogue and Bobby and wife of Jack, said with a shrug._

_“You guys were as secret as a freight train,” Tommy, the son of Kurt and Ororo, snickered an winked at his sister TJ and at Jamie, who sat next to him._

_“Plus we saw him leaving a couple of times,” Kitty shrugged._

_“And his bike is quiet loud even if he parked it a mile away,” Jack, Lily’s twin, added with a grin._

_Lily let out a cry and buried her face in her hands. “Please don’t shout at him!” she begged her father who shrugged and looked sternly at something behind her._

_“Why would I? He knows what I’d tell him,” Logan grunted with a nod behind her and Lily turned just to see how Bucky stood in the doorway, dressed in dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a dark red zip up hoodie, looking into the round sheepishly. He was clearly nervous and bracing himself for Logan. “Don’t ya?”_

_“Yes, sir… Morning…,” Bucky said into the round and sat slowly down next to Lily, exchanging eye contact with her. He didn’t dare to look Logan in the face though because he could tell that he was still on the receiving end of a glare. Instead he smiled encouragingly at Lily, who still looked like a deer that had been caught in headlights. Reaching out, Bucky took her hand and squeezed it. “Could you hand me the coffee, please?” he tried to distract her._

_“Of course,” she said and handed it to him._

_“Thanks, doll,” Bucky said and was glad that the teasing had stopped and also Logan remained silent, but was still watching them attentively. They ate in silence and listened to the banter of the others until it was time to do the dishes. Jack gathered the plates and put them in the dish washer while Isa cleaned up the rest. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw how Lily took Bucky’s hand and began to lead him out of the kitchen._

_“Hey, you guys want to join us for movie night later?” he asked his twin sister, who looked at the man next to her._

_“I could get some things from the tower if that’s okay for you,” Bucky offered._

_“Sure,” Lily smiled and he smiled back._

_“Yer not gonna join Cap on that mission?” Logan asked and cocked an eyebrow at the Avenger, who turned to look at him._

_“Uhm, no…”_

_“How come? Yer usually joined at the hip.” Logan crossed his arms and scrutinized him._

_Bucky sighed. “Because I don’t really do missions anymore, Logan.”_

_This made the X-Man frown and also the others looked up in surprise. “Why?” Scott asked._

_Bucky looked down at the ground. “Because I’m tired of fighting,” he simply said and got up, placing his hand on Lily’s shoulder and leant in. “I’ll just get a few things and will be back later.”_

_“Okay,” she smiled and he kissed her cheek before he left. Lily’s eyes remained on the door behind which he had disappeared for a while longer before she turned back around and was met with smirks. “What?!” she asked, rolling her eyes._

_“Nothing,” her twin smirked._

_Later, they sat together in the TV room in their PJs, the movie ready to start and drinks already on the table in the middle. Isa, TJ and Lily were in the kitchen and preparing popcorn and snacks. A tray was already filled with some sweets when TJ exchanged a conspirational look with Isa, who nodded determined._

_“So…,” TJ began and Lily sighed. She knew what her friends were about to ask. “How did you snatch your soldier?”_

_“Really?” Lily asked with an eye roll and Isa huffed._

_“Yeah, really. I mean… You guys didn’t hide your hook ups very well, but now that you are official…,” she said and shrugged. “When did it start? How? Why? Spill!”_

_“We aren’t official…” Lily heaved a deep breath and added the finished popcorn to the bowl on her right. “We…drank too much.”_

_TJ frowned. “You can’t get drunk!”_

_“I actually can, if it’s Asgardian mead obviously,” Lily muttered to herself._

_“So you just…,” Isa began and gesticulated wildly with her hand, “drank and decided to date?”_

_“No… I was supposed to bring a package over for Jamie after work, so I did and stumbled right into a party. They invited me to have a couple of drinks, which resulted into more drinks, I ended up wasted, woke up in Bucky’s bed on the next morning, both of us didn’t remember shit and…,” Lily suddenly blushed and busied herself with cutting some fruits._

_TJ and Isa exchanged another conspirational look. “…and decided to bang again?” TJ asked bluntly and Lily dropped the knife._

_“That was a yes,” Isa commented and TJ nodded. “And afterwards they decided to continue banging until both realized they were actually crushing on each other. Am I right?” she asked Lily._

_“…maybe…,” her friend said in barely more than a whisper. “Are we done?!”_

_“No,” TJ and Isa said at the same time._

_“Oh, come on, girls! Really?” Lily ran a hand through her hair._

_“Yes, really,” TJ replied and crossed her arms. “So… What’s he like?” she asked and Lily’s jaw dropped and her eyes bulged. “Oh, c’mon, I don’t want to know THAT! What’s he like as a guy? With him being from the 1900-somethings and all.”_

_Lily sighed again and added the fruits in a bowl to the tray. “Nice…”_

_“And?” Isa asked._

_“Well-mannered… Respectful, charming…,” Lily listed. “Honest to a fault…” She shrugged._

_“So… A long-term thing or…?” TJ asked._

_“He’s standing right here by the way,” a deeper voice suddenly replied from her left and made them startle. Bucky, who was dressed in black pajama pants and a dark blue shirt, entered and greeted Lily with a kiss. “Need help with anything, doll?”_

_“You could take the tray to the TV-room. We’re almost finished here,” Lily suggested and he took the tray and went back to the others._

_“Popcorn! Finally!” Jake, Jamie’s not identical twin, cheered and grabbed a handful upon which Hope, his wife, slapped his hand. His golden eyes widened playfully outraged and he pushed his chin length dark hair back._

_“You can wait until the movie started!” she reprimanded him, but stole some popcorn from him anyway._

_“Suuuure,” he mocked and watched Bucky, who seemed to be utterly lost in thoughts right now. “Did Cap spill hot chocolate on your teddy bear?”_

_The Avenger looked up from where he was sitting on the couch. “No…”_

_“But?” Jack asked and the man sighed._

_“T’Challa needs me in Wakanda for a while…”_

_“A while meaning?”_

_“Couple of months…” Bucky shrugged. “I owe him, but…”_

_Jack knew what the but was or better who. “Take Lily with you,” he said and Bucky frowned at him._

_“But…”_

_“She hates her job, man. She only stays because of loyalty to me. Ask her to come with you. She seriously needs to go out and see the world.”_

_“Is it really that bad?” Jamie asked and craned his neck from where his head was resting on Tommy’s lap. “I mean she complains a lot but…”_

_Jack snorted. “It is, trust me. I just recently had to take a client from her and kick another one out. They see her as some kind of trophy and try to get into her pants. She hates the job. She always wanted to be a teacher anyway. Maybe she can teach some kids in Wakanda or whatever.”_

_“She’s not a trophy…,” Bucky muttered angered and looked up when the girls entered. He smiled at Lily but she could tell that it was forced and something on his mind. Usually, his smiles reached his eyes. Reminding herself to ask him about it later, she got comfortable between his legs and rested her hands on his arms when he pulled her closer against him._

_“Is everyone finally here and settled?” Alex, Scott’s son, asked and pushed the PLAY button._

 

Jamie frowned and put the sandwich aside. “Why? Did you have a fight?”

“No…”

“But?” He looked at her for a long moment until she bit her lip, shrugged and looked away. It took him a moment but he understood. “Lily… It doesn’t have to mean that history will repeat itself…”

“I know… But I’m scared,” she admitted and looked at him with tears in her eyes. “And I’m hurting him and it’s not fair…”

Jamie sighed and got up to hug her. “Sometimes you’ve just got to jump…” He looked towards the door and Cap entered.

The Avenger greeted them and put a holographic tablet on the table. “Tony wanted me to give you that,” he informed them before he saw how Lily wiped her eyes. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks,” Jamie smiled and squeezed his sister’s shoulder before she excused herself.

Lily had just entered the elevator and was about to push the button as Cap entered. She gave him a nervous smile and the doors went shut. They rode in silence for a while until Cap pushed a button and the elevator stopped. Startled, Lily looked at him wide eyed.

“I’ll make this quick,” Cap said seriously. “Buck is my oldest and best friend. He’s loyal, he’s respectful towards women and even if he acts like a serious guy most of the time he’s sensitive. All I ask of you is to be honest with him and stop leading him on. He doesn’t deserve this.”

“I’m not leading him…,” Lily began when he raised his hand with a shake of his head.

“Maybe not on purpose, but you are. He’s in love with you and you are hurting him. He thinks this is just a game for you. To him it’s serious. ”

Lily’s eyes grew wide and she looked away. She knew that Bucky liked her a lot, but not this... “It’s not my intention…,” she whispered and tears gathered in her eyes. “It’s just that… ”

Cap sighed and reached out to put a hand to her shoulder. “I know. And I know that Buck’s background isn’t a mother-in-law’s dream… But he’s a good guy,” he said calmly. “Just be honest with him. That’s all I’m asking.” He pushed the button again and the elevator began to move again just to stop on the chosen level. Cap looked at Lily once more and gave her a reassuring nod, then left and the elevator door closed again.

Lily sighed and leant her head back against the wall, her mind racing. She quickly wiped her eyes and ran a hand through her hair before the door opened again and she stepped out. Just to bump into some. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she quickly said just to look into surprised blue eyes. Instantly, her heart began to beat faster.

“Hi…,” Bucky said and stared at her.

“Hi…,” Lily replied and brushed her hair back, trying to avert her eyes. A hand though touched her chin and tilted her head up.

“You okay, doll?” Bucky asked concerned and tried to read her eyes.

About to say yes, Lily went in to hug him tight instead. “No… No, I’m not okay…,” she sniffed and felt how he first hugged her back before she was escorted somewhere. She didn’t look up before a door was closed and she realized that she was in Bucky’s room now.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again and was clearly concerned for her well-being.

Lily held his gaze for a while, swallowing hard in search of the right words. “I never meant to hurt you…,” she began and he sighed, breaking eye contact and nodding as he put the pieces together.

“Steve talked to you, am I right?” he asked, despite already knowing the answer and shook his head. “Damn you, Rogers…”

“No, listen,” Lily went on and reached out to put her hand on his arm in order to get his attention. “I…I’m being unfair to you and you’ve been nothing but sweet to me and…”

“Well, that’s me…,” he shrugged with a small smirk around his lips. “Look, I do understand if it’s not enough. I do.”

“But it is…,” Lily whispered and made Bucky look up in surprise. “I’m…just…afraid.”

Their eyes met. “I know,” he said and came slowly closer. “I know that what happened to you was horrible and… A scar like that sticks.” He reached out to wipe away a tear from her cheek as he noticed her sudden frown. “What?”

“You cut your hair,” Lily commented and he snorted.

“Yeah, I did.” Self-conscious, Bucky ran a hand through his shorter hair that was as short as it had been in the 1940’s. “Too short?”

She contemplated it before she shook her head. It looked still fluffy and if he had just gotten out of bed. “No, it looks good. Just keep the scruff, yes?”

Bucky chuckled. “Okay…” He held her gaze and waited. In the end, the ball was in her court and he was internally bracing himself for a disappointment. Lily, however, surprised him by taking his right hand into hers and kissing him after a moment. He savored it but still waited for her reaction afterwards. Her smile was answer enough. “Do you have to work tomorrow?” he asked after another kiss.

“Thank God, no,” she said and brushed her hair back.

“That bad?”

“The tip of the iceberg was a huge bouquet from  Howard…,” Lily sighed with a roll of her eyes.

Bucky snorted and nodded. “Well, he’s Tony’s son…” He shrugged. “Want me to talk to him or make him disappear? Just say the word, doll.”

She smiled and hugged his middle. “I sent the flowers back to him. He has hopefully finally gotten the message.”

Bucky hugged her back. “We’re talking about a Stark here. Hard to convince and with the will of a brick wall.”

Lily groaned. “True…,” she sighed and leant into him, simply enjoying being held.

“Can you…stay?” he asked carefully.

“Yes, I can. I only need to let Jamie know. He’s probably still working downstairs,” she reached for her phone and started texting.

“Okay,” Bucky smiled and went to his wardrobe to get something for her to wear. He put a grey shirt and black pajama pants on the bed behind her and went to the bathroom next.

“You’re an ass, Jamie,” he heard Lily saying and looked around the corner, squinting at the screen when she held in into his direction.

He could clearly see a dozen kissy face emojis. Bucky snorted, finished his work in the bathroom and joined her in the bedroom again. “I got you some towels and a toothbrush.”

“Thanks,” she smiled and got up to stretch.

“You look tired,” he noticed and she nodded.

“Long day at work. I’ll take a quick shower,” Lily said and gave him a quick kiss before she disappeared in the bathroom to get ready for bed. When she came out of it she found a bottle of water and a sandwich on the desk at the wall and smiled. The bed was freshly made too. She quickly ate the sandwich and sipped on the water before she got underneath the grey covers and waited. She had seen his room before but never really paid attention to his things. His room was pretty minimalistic with a couple of old pictures, one of which showed him in an army uniform, another one him and Steve, a third one both of them with a group. Lily’s eyes grew wide as she noticed one of the men in that pic. It was her father. The door opened and Bucky entered again, smiling softly at her. She pointed at the picture behind him. “That’s my father, isn’t it?”

He turned and figured she meant the picture of the Howling Commando. “Yeah. And your uncle,” he pointed at Victor Creed. “That was taken during the second World War before they were assigned to another mission,” he told her and went under the sheets next to her, propping his head and looked at her.

“How old are you in that pic?”

He thought hard. “23 or 24.”

She nodded and yawned tiredly. “Sorry…,” Lily said and snuggled into the pillow.

“No need to apologize,” Bucky chuckled and bent over to kiss her. “I gotta warn you though. Early training session tomorrow..”

“Cap’s idea?” Lily mumbled with closed eyes.

“Yeah. Steve has some meeting with Fury. So I’m in charge. If I’m gone when you wake up, I’m probably somewhere in the house,” he switched off the lights.

“M’kay…” she muttered and snuggled up to him, almost immediately falling asleep…

Bucky looked at her thoughtfully and contemplated how he was supposed to tell her about Wakanda…

 

**Please leave a review after reading. Thank you!**

 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This fic was born out of my ongoing X-Men/Avengers movie verse fic _Changes_. Lily is an original character of mine and after pairing her with Bucky in _Changes_ , I had the idea of writing a fic with them as the main characters in it. More original characters from _Changes_ will make an appearance, but it is not necessary to know the story itself.  
I love reviews and getting to know your opinions. So please leave one. ** **J**

* * *

**When metal met flesh**

**  
Part 4**

 

Bucky was busy packing his duffle bag for his trip to Wakanda. Shirts, pants and everything else he needed lay scattered on his bed and he reached for another shirt as he froze and looked at it. It wasn’t his, it was Lily’s. In thoughts he looked at it and stroked absentmindedly over the fabric. He should have known that she would say no to accompanying him. Why had he even bother asking? Grabbing another shirt, he continued packing.

“Are you daydreaming, Buck?” Cap’s voice suddenly said behind him and he startled. “I take that as a yes.” Steve smirked and looked at what his friend was doing. “For how long will you be gone?”

Bucky shrugged. “3 months? Maybe 6? I don’t know.”

Cap nodded and watched his best friend continue packing for a while. He knew him well enough that he could tell something was bothering him. “Do you need me to drive you and Lily to the airport?” Cap asked knowingly and Bucky froze briefly. Gotcha, Cap thought.

“No, T’Challa will send a jet for me,” Bucky muttered and Cap crossed his arms.

“So Lily’s not coming?” he asked and his friend shook his head without looking up from what he was doing. “Will you be able to survive that long without your girlfriend?” he teased him and Bucky sighed, dropping the pants he wanted to pack and reaching for a book instead.

“She’s not my girlfriend, Steve…”

“I thought you guys were officially together now?” Cap asked confused.

Bucky looked briefly up. “We never discussed that. I just assumed that…,” he began but his voice trailed off.

“Assumed what?” Cap sat down on the stool besides the bed.

“Nothing.”

Cap wouldn’t have any of that, not if something was clearly bothering his friend that was a brother to him. “Buck, come on. Assumed what?” he asked again, but Bucky ignored him until Cap had enough of the silence and got up to grab his friends wrist to make him stop. “Stop this and talk to me. Assumed what, Buck?”

Buck looked at him in annoyance but Cap held the glare until his friend finally gave in and looked away. Clearly ashamed and sad. “…assumed that I was enough.”

“Did she break up with you?” Cap asked shocked since both had seemed really happy with each other.

“No.”

“So you’re assuming again…” Cap nodded in understanding and sighed. “Buck… Why wouldn’t you be enough? Women have always taking a liking to you.” He frowned when his friend chuckled darkly. “What?”

Bucky looked at him, his eyes closed off and unreadable. “Yeah, back then, Steve. Before this,” he held up his left arm. “Before they completely fucked me up. I mean I get it, I do. If I had the choice, I wouldn’t pick me either. Who’d want to date a killer?”

“Buck…,” Cap began, shocked that his friend thought so little of himself.

“Don’t! Just don’t!” Bucky pleaded with him and continued packing. “To be honest I’m even surprised she stayed that long, you know? Usually they run away screaming as soon as they see this,” he said bitterly and pulled his shirt aside until his left shoulder and the angry scar that connected skin and metal was revealed. “Why else do you think I don’t date?”

Cap looked at him with sadness in his eyes. “But you and her… I mean you did… You know…,” he began and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah, with my shirt on,” he muttered and closed the zipper on his now packed duffle bag. “T’Challa is gonna get me at 5:30 PM. I want to get some shut eye until then, so if you don’t mind…” Bucky nodded at the door, his eyes refusing to meet Steve’s.

“’kay. But don’t you dare disappear without saying goodbye!” Cap tried to lighten up the mood, but his friend simply nodded. As soon as Cap had closed Bucky’s room door he fished for his phone and went through the contacts until he had found the number he was looking for. Instantly, he pressed dial and waited. “Hey, we need to talk!”

* * *

In his office Jack reached for his phone as it rang. “Yeah?”

“Hey, we need to talk!” Cap’s voice echoed through the speaker and Jack leant back in his chair, the file on his table forgotten for a moment.

“Let me guess. The male equivalent of sad and depressed?” he asked and turned around so that he could look out of the big glass front of his office; the Avengers’ tower visible in the back. “I don’t know what happened. But my sister makes a face as if her personal rain cloud was constantly pissing on her.”

Cap closed the door of his room behind him. “Then we are talking about the right people. I only know that Bucky asked her to join him on his mission to Wakanda and Lily must have declined. He know thinks she doesn’t want him.”

“God, she is so stupid…,” Jack cursed and shook his head in disbelief. “When is Bucky leaving?” he asked and listened to the reply. “Okay, make sure T’Challa waits. I’ll take care of this.” He ended the call and dialed another number. “Hey, babe. Could you do me a favor? I need you to pack a bag for my utterly dumb sister and have TJ bamf it here as soon as you…” He startled as TJ and Isa suddenly appeared in the room, a bag in their hands. “Uhm…,” he made and dropped his phone.

“We were faster than you, baby,” Isa gave him a winning smirk. “We already figured out what was going on.”

“And decided that Lily needed a push.”

“A shove!” Isa corrected.

“Make is a hit with a freight train,” TJ suggested.

“Okay.”

Jack looked to and fro between them. “So… How do we get my dear sister on board?”

TJ shrugged. “Write her a letter that let’s her know she should go and why. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“And then Mr. and Mrs. Mopey will hopefully get their heads out of their asses. Would you believe she denied that they were an item? I’m mean, helloooooo,” Isa made outraged. “We’ve got eyes!”

“Damn right we do!” TJ agreed. “Anyway, here’s her stuff. When does Bucky leave?”

“5:30.” Jack checked his watch. “I’ll get this letter done. Wait a sec.” He reached for an empty paper and started writing. The two women, curious as they were, went over to read over his shoulder.

“You make it sound too polite,” Isa disagreed. “She needs a really good push to realize that she is meant to do something else.”

“Right. She only gave up becoming a teacher because colleges refused to accept me in their medical field,” TJ said and looked away. She still remembered too well how people have kept on telling her that a mutant with her looks would never be hired by any hospital and that she wouldn’t be accepted anywhere. “She was so enraged about it that she only picked law because she hoped to change something… She would be a great teacher. So don’t be too polite. Tell her I said hi and that I want her to finally go after her dreams.”

“Roger that,” Jack gave a thumbs up, threw the first letter away and started writing another one. He’d be damned if he let Lily ruin her live like this out of loyalty to him or because she thought she couldn’t do better. Even with Noah he had never seen her so carefree and happy. If Lily’s mood was any indicator, he could only guess what Bucky looked like right now…

* * *

“You ready?” T’Challa asked after Bucky had stowed his luggage and had said goodbye to his fellow Avengers. He only received a weak nod and the man entered the jet. T’Challa nodded at Cap, who was watching them intently from afar. “Captain.”

“Your Highness,” Steve said and remained where he was until the jet’s engines started. He got nervous. Jack’s text had said that he was ready on his side but nothing had happened. He had hoped that Lily would appear. Bucky deserved to be happy. Sighing, he went back into the tower and left the helipad behind.

On the jet Bucky was looking thoughtfully out of the window and heaved a deep breath. Part of him was really looking forward going back to Wakanda. The other part though…

A loud bamf alerted him, the pilot and T’Challa. Ready to fight he was relieved to see TJ, but his relief turned into shock as he spotted Lily next to her. A Lily that clearly looked unhappy and angry.

“I told you to let go of me! What has gotten into you?!” Lily barked at TJ, who simply dropped her bag.

“Read this!” was all her friend said and pushed the letter into Lily’s hands. “I’m sorry, your Highness. But these two idiots needed a good push.” She indicated Bucky and Lily.

T’Challa chuckled. “I was already wondering why the White Wolf looked so sour…” He looked at the screen behind him. “I’m sorry to say this thought, but…”

“Oh no…,” TJ cried as she realized how fast the jet was flying. They were too far away from New York already for her to teleport back. “I need to go back…”

“I’m afraid this has to wait. This jet flies on autopilot at maximum level. So I suggest you buckle in and enjoy the flight,” T’Challa smirked and turned around to sit back down, leaving TJ to fume at Lily.

“Just for the record. This is all your fault!” she said to her friend and sat down in one of the chairs with an angry huff. “Idiot lovebirds…,” she cursed and glared out of the window, whereas Lily stood frozen on the same spot and read Jack’s letter with tears in her eyes.

“You should sit down and buckle in,” Bucky suggested and his heart stuttered as Lily’s sad eyes met his. “You can get hurt…” He watched how she contemplated sitting down in one of the chairs to his far right before she settled on the chair right next to him and buckled in. He didn’t dare to move and intended to give her the space she obviously needed. As a hand entwined with his, however, his head jerked aside in surprise and saw her smiling weakly before she leant her head against his shoulder. Content for now Bucky leant his head against Lily’s in return and squeezed her hand reassuringly.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This fic was born out of my ongoing X-Men/Avengers movie verse fic _Changes_. Lily is an original character of mine and after pairing her with Bucky in _Changes_ , I had the idea of writing a fic with them as the main characters in it. More original characters from _Changes_ will make an appearance, but it is not necessary to know the story itself.  
I love reviews and getting to know your opinions. So please leave one. ** **J**

* * *

**When metal met flesh**

**  
Part 5**

The sun hung low over Wakanda. The countryside and city were painted in warm orange light, the sky a beautiful violet-bluish color. While the market was still busy, the guards changed shift and farmers brought their cattle inside. T’Challa stood on the balcony of his home and watched the people going about the end of their day. He felt content at the sight and didn’t turn around when he heard someone joining him.

“Umyeni,” Nakia greeted him teasingly with a smile and T’Challa smiled back, a glint in his eyes.

“Umfazi,” he said back with a polite nod and she joined him at the stone banister that overlooked their kingdom.

Nakia took a look at the now quickly darkening sky and the stars that became visible next to an almost full moon. The night would be warm and beautiful. She could clearly hear crickets in the distance and the noises from the now closing market. Wakanda was somehow always busy and never really quiet. Her eyes fell on a single hut close to the lake to her far left. Afire was burning in front of it and if she squinted hard enough she was able to see a single person sitting at the lake and looking peacefully over the water. Another person was coming closer and joining the first. “It’s good to see the White Wolf has a pack now.”

T’Challa followed her eyes. “I’d rather say a mate than a pack, don’t you think?” he asked and his wife smiled again before kissing his cheek. It made him frown. “Nakia?”

“Whatever you say, husband,” his wife smiled and linked arms with him before she rested her head against his shoulder. “I haven’t seen Azari all day. Have you?”

T’Challa chuckled and turned on his heels so that they could walk back inside. “No, but I can guess who he is with…”

At the lake Bucky was first watching how the sun went down and the water changed color until it was completely black. He then looked up and at the stars that were illuminating the sky and so much more visible than in the cities. His muscles hurt in a good way from labor and his stomach was still warm from food and tea. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so at peace and content as he was feeling right now. Not even in the 1940’s before he had gotten drafted and forced into a war that he didn’t want to fight. It had gotten downhill from there… But right now? Here where he had been reborn thanks to Shuri’s knowledge and abilities? Here he felt at home.

His eyes darted to the side as he heard footsteps in the grass and a content smile became visible on his lips as he watched Lily coming closer and disposing of a bag with fresh vegetables and fruits in their hut before she came over to join him. “Hey…,” he greeted her warmly and she sat down, kissing him gently, then snuggling into his right side. He had to admit the Wakandan dress looked good on her. It was a blue robe with red and green patterns, tight at the top, wide from the waist downwards and long. Her usually pale skin had gotten a nice tan, so had his. She looked simply beautiful with her long, dark hair pinned up and hazel eyes vibrant. “How was your day?” he asked and brushed a strand aside.

“It was great!” Lily replied and began to tell him about how she had helped out in school again and how the students had finally gotten the chapter of English grammar they had been working on for three weeks. All the time she looked excited and was speaking animatedly. “I’m so proud of them. They looked so happy,” she ended her tale and smiled up at him. “How was your day? How is the new building coming along?”

“’s good,” Bucky said. “We should be able to work on the pipes tomorrow.”

“Great,” Lily smiled and leant in to kiss him again. “TJ is staying with Azari again tonight,” she added after a while and made Bucky chuckle.

“So much to _I need you to take me back home asap_ , huh?”

She giggled with a nod but became serious right afterwards. “I’m happy for her though. She’s always been so lonely…” Lily looked up as a hand brushed through her hair and looked into Bucky’s kind light blue-greyish eyes. Her heart leapt with happiness. “I wanted to tell you something…,” she began mysteriously and Bucky sat up straighter, his eyes now worried.

“Something bad?”

“I decided to go back to school. To study and become a teacher…,” she admitted and he smiled.

“Good,” Bucky said and then huffed. “Your brother won’t let you hear the end of it.”

Lily groaned. “Oh, don’t even mention it, please! Jack was gloating when I facetimed him and told him we’d be staying longer than just three months…” She slapped his arm as Bucky chuckled. “He totally blames you by the way!”

Bucky nodded. “Noted.”  His eyes fell upon the stars again that were even more visible now. “It’s a pity the sky is so different in the cities…” He pointed at a couple of stars and named them. “You can even see Mars.”

“Where?” Lily asked and her eyes searched the night sky but even as he pointed at it she was unable to pinpoint the location.

“C’mere,” Bucky nodded at the spot between his legs and she moved over until his front was pressed against her back. He pointed at it again and Lily angled her head in a way that had her look directly over his finger. Now she saw the tiny red dot. “See?”

“Yeah,” she smiled and felt the rumble in his chest as he chuckled when she snuggled into his warmth.

“Cold?”

“No, it’s fine. Let’s stay here a while longer,” she replied and he hugged her with both arms, his chin resting on her shoulder. Lily closed her eyes briefly and basked in his warmth and scent. She really needed to thank Jack, Isa and TJ for forcing her to come here. Wakanda was so different from what she was used to but she clearly understood why he loved this place so much and also called it home. The people, the country…everything was so colorful and vibrant. So full of life. And Bucky was far more at ease here than at home. As soon as they had stepped out of the jet it was as if a switch in his head had been turned. There was still one thing he refused to do and it bothered her greatly… He should know by now that she didn’t care about his scars. “Buck?”

“Hm?” he made sleepily behind her.

She smiled to herself and got up, pulling on his right hand. “Let’s go inside before you fall asleep like a rhino.”

He frowned at her. “Like a… Do I look like a rhino to you?” he asked mocked-hurt and got up, his hand in hers.

“Well, sometimes you snore like one,” she shrugged playfully and squealed as he suddenly pulled her up and didn’t drop her again before they were inside their hut with the door closed and had reached the bed. She giggled as he began to tickle her side after straddling her and didn’t stop before she was begging him to do so.

“Rhino, eh?” he asked and watched gleefully how she tried to fill her lungs with enough oxygen again. “I…don’t snore!” he insisted.

“Handsome rhino then?” Lily teased, still breathing hard and squealed again as he leant down, glaring playfully at her.

“No!”

“Very handsome rhino?” she tried again and he growled. “I got you plums!” Lily offered peace and that caught his attention.

“Where?!” Bucky asked and his eyes fell on the basket she had been carrying before. He immediately got up and snatched one.

Lily watched him munching the fruit and shook her head smiling. Plums worked every time. Stretching, she got up to change into a simple white shirt. She then washed her face, brushed her teeth and hair and went back to bed. There she occupied herself with reading on her phone until he was done in their makeshift bathroom that only consisted of a small washing pan. The shower was on the outside and worked with cold water only. It had taken her a while to get used to it but now, after living for so long in these warm temperatures, she enjoyed her cold shower in the morning and often also in the evening. Lily looked up from her phone and decided to head for the toilet on the outside of the hut. “I’ll be right back,” she let Bucky know and he nodded while brushing his teeth. Being quick, she left the small hut in which the toilet was, looked at the lake and stars once more and went back into their hut. She froze and Bucky froze too. He stared at her like a deer caught in headlights, shirt ready in his hand and held his breath, whereas Lily stared at his bare chest and ripped physique. Up to now he had been adamant about in always keeping a shirt on and she had never seen him without one. She knew he was very self-conscious about his metal arm and the scars surrounding the plate that attached the arm to his body. Lily didn’t care or mind though. To her he still looked handsome and she was kind of mad he never showed her that body.

“I…I’m sorry…,” Bucky muttered and tried to get past her as fast as he could, the shirt clutched in his hand as if his life depended on it. He kept his eyes downcast, feeling ashamed and nervous. The few times he had tried to date after the Winter Soldier fiasco the girls had found the first best excuse to leave as soon as things had gotten heated and clothes had been shed. Maybe he should face it that no one wanted to deal with his demons… Maybe he should just stay alone. It was probably better this way. He was almost out of the hut as Lily grabbed his right hand quickly and he froze again. She stepped in front of him and tried to look into his eyes but he kept his eyes on the ground and refused to look at her. Internally, he braced himself for what was inevitable to come.

“Bucky, please look at me…,” Lily pleaded and her hand wandered to his, taking the shirt from him and dropping it to the ground before she entwined their fingers. His jaw and muscles were tensed, his eyes hard and looking right past her. She knew she had to tread warily now and chose her words carefully. But what to tell someone who had been hurt so much? She waited a moment longer but since he kept his rigid posture she decided against words. Her hand travelled up his arm and she saw how Bucky’s jaw clenched and muscles tensed even the more. Lily then stepped further in front of him, her movements slow and careful as if she was dealing with a startled animal that was about to run, her eyes looked up at him nervously before she leant in, hands on his chest and pressed a gentle kiss to the scar tissue on his left pec. His breath hitched and he stared at her in shock. Encouraged, Lily looked up at him and kept her hands on his chest. “I don’t care about your scars,” she assured him and he swallowed hard, his eyes searching hers. “You’ve been nothing but kind, Bucky. You’re kind and gentle even though you’ve been through hell. And that’s what I love about you.” His eyes widened and he made a surprised step back. A move that made her frown first before she realized her mistake and what she had just said. She had just told him something that she hadn’t intended to say for a couple of more weeks or even longer, since she wasn’t sure it would scare him away instantly. His anxiety and self-doubt were something she was well aware of. “I… I’m sorry… I didn’t…,” she therefore stammered and made a step back to give him space.

“…mean it?” Bucky asked barely audible, careful even, his eyes downcast again.

“What?!” Lily asked confused.

“You said I didn’t. You didn’t mean it?” he repeated, his voice even more careful now.

Lily shook his head. “I do mean it,” she said and his eyes focused on her again. “I just… I didn’t want to say it so soon. I know you’ve got issues with…” The rest of her words were swallowed as he pulled her close and kissed her deeply, leaving her completely breathless and speechless after he was done; his right hand still cupped her neck when he leant back to look her in the eyes. She noticed the tears in his eyes immediately and her heart skipped a beat as she also saw the happy, broad smile he gave her.

“I love you too, doll,” Bucky said and leant in to kiss her again, his metallic arm pulling her closer as she reached for him.

Lily savored the kiss and smiled into it. She bit her lower lip as they separated and kept her hands on his chest. “I’m mad at you though…,” she said and made him frown.

“Why?”

“We’ve been dating for months and you denied me this?!” She pocked at his chest, which made him chuckle.

Bucky bit his lip and tilted his head a bit, his eyes looking at her intently. “Well, how can I make it up to you?” he asked huskily and Lily shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged innocently and backed off towards the bed. “Think about something…”

He nodded and followed her slowly, his shirt on the ground long forgotten. “I think I can think about a thing or two,” he offered and leant in to kiss her again.

* * *

A constant and insistent buzzing to her right rouse Lily from her deep slumber. She moaned annoyed and turned around in Bucky’s embrace, her hand reaching blindly for her still buzzing phone. She squinted at the screen to decipher the caller ID but her eyes widened instantly as she realized that it was a facetime call from Jack. She accepted the call and pulled the sheets closer around her naked form.

“Finally!” Jack said and gave her the happiest and broadest smile ever.

Lily immediately spotted the bundle in his arms and grinned excitedly. “The twins!” she whisper-shouted and he showed her the bundle in his arms proudly, Jack’s eyes still glassy with tears. He turned the phone so that Lily got a good look at the second bundle in Isa’s arms. Her friend looked utterly exhausted but also very happy. “Awww,” Lily cooed at the sight of the newest additions to the family.

“And I’m mad at you!” Jack said as soon as the camera was back on him.

Lily shrugged innocently at his glare. “Isa wanted it to be a surprise…,” she said and knew he was referring to literally everyone knowing that Isa had been expecting a boy and a girl and not two girls again as she had told Jack, who had been desperate to have a son and crushed at the news that she was expecting two daughters. Lily smiled at how happy Jack looked at the baby in his arm and she guessed it was the boy. “What are my niece’s and nephew’s names?”

“Kaiden and Sophia,” Jack said softly and looked into the camera again, immediately cocking an eyebrow at his twin sister. He smirked and leant back until he was leaning against the headboard next to Isa. His shoulder bumped hers gently and his wife was now looking at the screen too. “Did I interrupt anything, dear sister?” Jack teased and h smirk widened when Lily rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, sleep,” Lily whispered as not to wake Bucky behind her. “It’s 3 A.M. here and what? 7 P.M. by you?”

“Serves you right after lying to your dear brother!” Jack said.

Lily was about to reply something when Bucky heaved a deep breath behind her and raised his head sleepily. “What’s wrong?” he mumbled and looked over her shoulder, his chin resting on it. He blinked at the screen before he realized what he was looking at and he sat up straighter, uttering an endearing noise. “Are they finally born?”

“One hour ago,” Jack said and smiled at the napping boy in his arms. “I’ll send a pic in a moment,” he promised and looked up again. “Go back to whatever you were doing.”

“Sleeping!” Lily insisted and her brother winked at her. Jack waved again, wished them a good night and the screen went black. A second later her phone vibrated again and two pictures arrived. She opened the chat and then the first picture, angling the phone so that Bucky could look at it too. “That’s Sophia,” she told him and switched to the next pic. “And that’s Kaiden.”

“He looks exactly like your brother,” Bucky commented and Lily tilted her head.

“Damn, you’re right,” she said as she realized the resemblance and noticed the soft smile on Bucky’s lips. Her heart skipped a beat. “Do you…want children?” she carefully asked and Bucky’s eyes switched to hers.

He sighed and looked at the screen again that had faded to black. “That was the plan… Find a nice dame, have a bunch of kids… Then I got drafted and the rest is history,” he tried to smile at her but it was a sad one.

“Wait, you got drafted?!”

“Yeah.”

“History books say you and Steve volunteered,” Lily said and sat up a bit, now interested.

“Steve did. Or better said that punk tried over and over again. I got drafted and never wanted a part in this. I hated war and fighting…,” Bucky told her and looked at her. “I wanted the quiet life…”

She nodded. “What about now?” she asked and held Bucky’s gaze.

He looked at her as if he was staring into her very soul, contemplating what his thoughts on this matter were. He wasn’t James Buchanan Barnes anymore, the guy from Brooklyn that took care of his mother and sister after his father had died, looked after Steve after he was orphaned. That guy had died after falling off Zola’s train in 1945… The Winter Soldier had no interest in pursuing any relationships and afterwards it had been awkward enough to talk to Steve that he hadn’t even bothered to try dating seriously. Thinking back, he never had a serious relationship ever… He had never met,…how had Peggy called it? The right partner. Well, that was before he had met _her_ … But was he enough? She deserved so much better… So Bucky shrugged . “Well I found a nice dame…,” he said in that raspy-soft voice of his, waiting for her reaction. Lily however smiled warmly and moved over to kiss him. When her arms went around his neck he pulled her on top of him, never breaking the kiss.

**Please leave a review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the drama begins...

**A/N: This fic was born out of my ongoing X-Men/Avengers movie verse fic _Changes_. Lily is an original character of mine and after pairing her with Bucky in _Changes_ , I had the idea of writing a fic with them as the main characters in it. More original characters from _Changes_ will make an appearance, but it is not necessary to know the story itself.  
I love reviews and getting to know your opinions. So please leave one. ** **J**

* * *

**When metal met flesh**

**  
Part 6**

Lily sat on the bed in the hut she was sharing with Bucky during their stay in Wakanda and waited for TJ to arrive. She hadn’t seen her friend since the beginning of July after which TJ had joined Azari on a trip throughout Africa. She had wanted to learn more about her maternal side of ethnicity and in the past weeks she had sent Lily dozen of pics of landscapes, animals, plants and the occasional tribe. It made Lily wonder what Bucky was up to right now, since T’Challa had asked him to join him on a trip too. That has been almost 6 weeks ago and she missed his presence despite their daily chats on the phone. Her left hand rested on her stomach while her right took her phone into her hands and checked the time. It was then that she heard faint footsteps approaching and she looked up as a knock on the door could be heard. “Come in,” Lily said and smiled broadly as TJ entered, looking vibrant and happy.

TJ immediately hugged her friend. “So good to see you again!” she said happily. When she let go of Lily again she looked around the hut. “Where’s your soldier?”

“On a trip with T’Challa,” Lily sighed and looked at her phone longingly. “He’ll probably be gone for another two weeks…” She frowned when TJ smirked at her after she had sat down on the bed. “What?”

“Damn, you got it bad, girl,” TJ chuckled and smiled when Lily blushed. “So things are going well with him?” she asked and Lily sighed audibly.

“Up to now things with Bucky are perfect,” she replied.

“Why up to now? Did you have a fight?” TJ asked confused and watched how Lily used her hands to flatten the long blue dress she was wearing and TJ’s eyes widened as she noticed that her friend’s former flat stomach didn’t look so flat anymore. She leapt from the bed. “Holy shit!”

“Yeah…,” Lily said and let her arms fall again.

“How far along are you? Does he know? What did Bucky say? Do I need to punch him?!” TJ asked quickly and Lily raised both hands quickly.

“Breathe!” she said kind of amused. “I don’t know how far along I am because I am actually on the pill…”

TJ snorted. “Which worked out really well for your mom with your dad’s healing factor…”

“I know…,” Lily sighed and slumped down on the bed. “And no, Bucky doesn’t know yet… I didn’t want to tell him over the phone…”

TJ nodded in understanding and sat down next to Lily, who was playing with the dress thoughtfully. “How do you think will he react?”

Lily looked at her worriedly. “Honestly, I don’t know. He told me that before he was drafted his plan was to marry and have a bunch of kids…”

“Well… That’s good, right?”

“TJ…,” Lily sighed and looked for the right words. “He isn’t that man anymore. Even Cap said so. I mean Bucky is trying really hard and he has been nothing but an absolute sweetheart to me. But if I hadn’t accidentally run into him when he was about to change into another shirt, I doubt he would still be comfortable enough to let me see him without a shirt on…”

“Wait a minute!” TJ cut her off. “He’s not wearing a shirt anymore all the time?!”

Lily rolled her eyes. Of course that was the most important thing her friend had caught. “No. At least around me… And…”

“And what?”

“He told me he loved me too…”

TJ waited another moment for Lily to say something else. “But…that’s good. I mean that poor guy was so tongue-tied around you all the time, I thought he would never tell you.”

“But therein lies the problem,” Lily said and looked at her. TJ frowned in confusion. “He’s got so many issues, especially with anxiety and insecurity. I’m scared to drop that bomb on him now that he finally is doing much better around me. He’s been so calm and at peace here…”

TJ nodded in understanding. “Do you think he’d make a good father?” she asked and Lily thought about it before she nodded.

“He’s been great with the kids around here. They love him. He’s a sweet guy…” She looked up when TJ put a hand to her shoulder.

“Girl, that guy has been terrible at hiding how he feels about you before the two of you actually made it official. He treats you like you hung the moon. Seriously, I’d give my right arm to have someone look at me the way Bucky looks at you. There’s no way he’d react negatively,” TJ assured her and Lily sighed audibly. “When was the last time you talked to him?” she tried to change the subject.

“3 hours ago. He said T’Challa helped a tribe with some poachers,” Lily said. “Bucky noticed though that something was on my mind… He asked several times if I was okay…”

“Well, are you?” TJ asked knowingly.

“I’m scared shitless about how he’ll react…,” Lily muttered and wiped tears away and looked briefly up as she heard footsteps on the outside. Probably one of the farmers. They were helping with the goats that Bucky and she kept. She looked at TJ again as the door to the hut suddenly opened and Bucky stood in the door, looking at Lily worriedly, who in return looked panic-stricken and remained frozen on the spot. “W…what are you doing here?!”

He dropped his duffle bag and came closer, still looking worried. “You sounded weird on the phone again. Is everything okay?!” he asked and greeted TJ quickly, who remained seated on the bed and contemplated what to do. “Did something happen?” he asked and cupped Lily’s face and tried to read her eyes. To him she looked pale and clearly not okay. He gave her a once over again and looked for any injuries that might give him a clue even though he knew that he wouldn’t find any due to her healing factor, but even if T’Challa ha assured him several times that Lily was safe and no one would dare touching her Bucky had insisted to be taken back home after she had once more sounded weird on the phone and he had gotten really worried. So there he stood, his eyes travelling from head to… And he froze and swallowed hard.

Lily panicked as Bucky’s heartrate suddenly skyrocketed and his eyes were glued to her stomach, which she had unconsciously touched and therefore exposed. She needed him to say anything, to react at least a bit. Right now she was mortified… His face was unreadable and his physical reaction she could pick up on with her senses scared her. “Bucky…,” she muttered and when he looked up she got confused. There was hurt and betrayal written all over his eyes next to visible tears. Before she was even able to react he had turned around and left.

Inside the hut both women looked at each other in confusion. Since Lily was close to tears TJ got quickly up and aimed for the door. “I’ll be right back. Stay here!” she said over her shoulder and headed to the outside. It had begun to darken, the moon was already visible but the remaining light made it easy to spot him. TJ jogged down to the lake and caught her breath before she addressed the man, who was staring at the water in front of them. No, not at it. Bucky was staring blankly ahead and right through the water. “Bucky,” she addressed him carefully and the man quickly wiped at his eyes and was tense as a bow.

“Who did she sleep with?” he asked, his voice barely audible and hurt.

“Wait… What?!” TJ asked, pretty sure she had just heard wrong. “You think she…”

“You think I _cheated_ on you?!” Lily suddenly asked behind them. She had heard his question and immediately left the hut enraged. How dare he?! TJ took the side of her friend. “How dare you!”

Bucky kept his eyes on the lake and tried to remain calm despite feeling crushed. Things had been too perfect. He should have known. Who would bother staying with someone like him? He listened to the angry things she spew at him and looked at the ground. Hell, she could ask him to stay and take care of that child and he’d do it. He’d do anything for her as long as she stayed… Even if it tore him apart to know that she had… When Lily began to sob into TJ’s shoulder Bucky finally turned and was met with an absolute death-glare from TJ.

“You are the biggest asshole, Barnes!” the woman snapped at him and was about to lead the devastated Lily away as he finally spoke up.

“I can’t have kids,” Bucky said in a calm voice and felt the same pang in his chest as he had when he had read his HYDRA file. It had hurt even more than knowing how many times he had been resetted and which methods of torture had been used on him, to know that he could never have…this. “HYDRA turned all assets sterile… You can read it in my file…,” he added calmly but his voice broke as he said with a sad nod at Lily’s stomach: “So you see why this can’t be my…” Squeezing his eyes shut, Bucky turned back around and wiped at his eyes again.

Lily stared at him in shock. A look at TJ told her that her friend felt the same. When she heard Bucky mumble _I knew I wasn’t enough…_ , she gave TJ a sign to give them some space. Nodding, her friend bamfed away. Carefully, Lily went closer and swallowed hard as she saw the tears on his face and how crushed he looked. “I didn’t cheat on you,” she swore and he choked on a sob. “I swear, Bucky!”

He met her gaze and was completely torn. He wanted to believe her so bad...  “I want to believe you, doll, but I can’t have…,” he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, unable to finish the sentence, but she grabbed his hand before he could turn away again.

“Let’s go to Shuri! She can prove it!” Lily begged and pulled on his arm to keep him from leaving. “I didn’t cheat on you! I swear on my parents’ lives that I’m telling you the truth! Please, if you really love me then give me the chance to prove it!” She held his gaze for what seemed to be torturous, endless minutes. When he finally nodded in defeat Lily let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding.

* * *

In Shuri’s lab Lily gave Bucky the space he obviously needed. She sat on an examination table, unconsciously rubbing her arm from which Shuri had drawn blood. T’Challa’s sister had promised them to work as fast as she could despite the results usually taking time. Lily already knew the results, but the waiting made her anxious and watching Bucky, who was still visibly hopeless and crushed, hurt her. If she had known what HYDRA had done to him when he was still in their clutches… She understood why he had reacted this way. If she had been him, she would have reacted way angrier and wouldn’t have given herself a chance to explain. That he still remained so calm and collected told her way too much about his mental state. How afraid must he be of her walking out of his life? How badly had other women treated him before that he lacked so much self-confidence? Right now he was clenching and unclenching his hands, his right holding the metal one and his left leg was bouncing up and down. She could hear his rapid heartbeat from where she was sitting and contemplated to say anything. But what was she supposed to say? Sighing, Lily looked at the clock and then at the ground. She was hungry and thirsty and now even her stomach growled loud enough. Closing her eyes, she rubbed it and was taken aback as Bucky stood before her, holding a packed sandwich and a bottle of water into her direction. She hadn’t even heard him getting up or getting to the machine that offered food and drinks to the staff. “Thank you…,” she muttered and he moved to return to the stool he’d been sitting in the whole time, but finally sat down next to her in the end. He declined when she offered him a bite and some water. So Lily chewed slowly on the sandwich and began to feel sick because of the nerves. Bucky must have felt it because he reached out to squeeze her knee. That gesture made Lily tear up again…

Bucky withdrew his hand as the door opened and Shuri finally entered. The woman smiled at the couple and handed Bucky wordlessly an envelope. While Lily’s heartrate accelerated, Bucky started frozen at the object in his hand. They began to shake as he slowly opened it and he had to read it four times for his brain to understand what it actually said in black and white. He let out a shaky breath and lowered the letter slowly, his eyes staring blankly ahead. Next to him Lily stared at Bucky wide-eyed and nervously waiting for him to say anything. “This can’t be right…,” he muttered and looked at Shuri for help.

Shuri sighed and put her hands to her hips. “Are you saying my expertise is wrong?” she asked playfully outraged.

“No, but…,” Bucky began and dropped the letter altogether. “I got tested…”

“And you just got tested again. Twice! I can show you the results of the blood test and how nicely your little Bucky’s were dancing underneath the microscope,” Shuri said with a wink at Lily, who was still anxiously waiting for any reaction towards her. Right now he had his face buried in his hands and was completely motionless next to her. “So congrats. You’re going to be a father around January 10th. Thinking about it… My sister-in-law actually hinted at it by saying that the White Wolf finally got a pack. My dear brother owes her twenty bucks now.” She looked at them. “I’ll give you some time to process and get the ultrasound pictures for you.” With that she turned around and left the room.

Bucky was trying hard to keep his breathing under control and not go into a full panic attack. Even if he had the proof in his hands, he couldn’t believe it. That roughly 9 inches long baby he had seen on the screen was his. He was going to be a dad. Something he had completely erased from his life after he had read his medical file. Not only had he finally found someone that could actually love him, that someone was now giving him everything his past self had wanted… And the first thing he had done was accuse her of cheating…

“Bucky, breathe,” Lily suddenly said next to him and got off the bed to step between his legs and place her hands on his shoulder. “You’re almost hyperventilating. It’s okay. Just breathe!” she tried to soothe him and he gave her a look as if he had just done the most horrible thing possible to her.

“I’m so sorry…,” he said with tears in his eyes. “I’m so sorry for what I’ve…”

“No! You don’t get to apologize!” Lily interrupted him and he lowered his head in shame. “Because there’s nothing to apologize about, Bucky. You had every right to believe it with your knowledge. I’m not mad at you,” she said and he stared at her in disbelief with wide eyes. She reached out to brush his tears away. “Everything’s fine. Okay?” Lily gave him a reassuring smile and pulled him into a hug. She closed her eyes and drew soothing circles on his back as he sobbed into her neck and held her as close as possible to his chest. “It’s okay…,” she assured him again and held him until he had calmed down enough to talk.”

“I don’t deserve you…,” Bucky muttered into the crook of her neck and pulled her even closer.

Before Lily was able to reply the door to their left opened and Shuri came back, smiling at them and handing over the printed scans. Wordlessly, she left them again. Lily looked at the ultrasound picture and smiled warmly. She noticed Bucky staring at the picture and put it into his hand after sitting down next to him. “You deserve this,” she said and he looked at her. “You’re a good man. And you’ll be a good father.” She held his gaze until he gave her a warm smile, then leant in to kiss her softly.

“I love you,” Bucky muttered against her lips and pecked her once more before he looked at the picture in awe again. He was really going to be a dad. The thought made him so happy and scared shitless at the same time.

“Shall we go back home?” Lily asked and he nodded, taking her hand and not letting go of it until they were back in their hut. She yawned and stretched and went to get ready for bed immediately.

Bucky watched her from where he was standing and changed out of his shirt and into just pajama pants. Then he went over to where Lily was brushing her teeth in a black top and shorts only. He moved behind her and let his hands gently roam over her belly. She leant back into him. “Do you feel it already?” he asked curiously and Lily nodded.

She spat into the bowl and covered her hands with his. “You should be able to feel it in about 3 weeks.”

He groaned. “3 weeks?!”

Lily smirked. “Maybe sooner if you’re lucky.” She giggled when he muttered something under his breath. “I’ll let you know when I feel something. Maybe you can feel it too.”

Bucky kissed the crook of her neck and proceeded to get ready for bed too. When he moved to lie down beside her she quickly took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

“Feel it?” she asked and he concentrated hard but shook his head.

Bucky huffed playfully and lent down until he was face to face with her belly. “Traitor!” he said but kissed it anyway before he cuddled up to Lily and pulled her close. He stroked through her hair absentmindedly. “If it’s a girl…can we name her Rebecca?” he asked after a while and Lily moved her head until her chin rested on his chest.

“Why Rebecca?” she asked curiously and noticed how his eyes became sad as he looked away.

“It was my sister’s name…,” Bucky replied in barely more than a whisper and Lily was taken aback. She didn’t know he even had a sister. “We don’t have to though,” he quickly added.

“I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“She was 4 years younger than me…,” he said and his heart became heavy. His mother and sister had never gotten to know that he had been alive and not died in action in WW2. Considering what he had been turned into it was probably for the better… Still…he missed them very much.

Lily noticed the change in his mood and changed the focus of the topic. “And if it’s a boy?”

Bucky contemplated. “I really want a girl…,” he admitted while stroking over her belly and she giggled.

“Okay. Then let’s hope it’s a Rebecca,” Lily said and saw how his eyes widened in surprise first before he smiled warmly at her.

**Please leave a review!**

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright is with Marvel (except for my OCs). No money or intention of making money was made with this fic.


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